Today on The Mag, Sara Cousineau AKA ‘The Doula With Aloha’ interviews Dr. Molly who runs ‘Living Adjusted’, a family-centered, holistic health care studio on Maui. Dr. Molly holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology & Kinesiology from Pittsburg State University & a Doctorate of Chiropractic from Parker University. Her additional certifications include the Webster technique, training with ICPA in craniosacral work, birth Doula & BIRTHFIT pregnancy & postpartum fitness instruction.

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I am fascinated by continually learning about the ways that women can be supported to find more ease and comfort in their bodies during the pregnancy, birth, and postpartum periods. Chiropractic care did not become a part of my wellness journey until recently. Because of what I had heard about this type of care and a brief negative previous experience, I did not think that it would be able to address my body’s needs in a gentle and holistic manner. My mind was blown open with possibilities when I met Dr. Molly, an amazing chiropractor who believes that radical healing is possible. An experience with her was another confirmation- it’s ALL about the practitioner. It is absolutely vital to find healthcare professionals that create and facilitate a feeling of alignment and safety.

Dr. Molly works with many Mamas during their pregnancy journey, and babies too! I sat down with her recently for an interview to learn more about the benefits of chiropractic care for Mamas and babies.

What do you wish people knew about chiropractic care?

Becoming a chiropractor was a path that chose me. I had my first experience with a chiropractor in my junior year of college when I played college softball and had some ribs out of place- the only injury I’ve ever had. The chiropractor that I saw for the injury had a remarkable level of vitality and joy. Up to that point, I had not met someone so joyful in the work and service they were in, and I instantly acknowledged “that’s what I want”. In starting to pursue the path, I had experiences with mentors where I knew that there was profound healing occurring, more than met the eye.

From the early part of school, I fell in love with the philosophy of chiropractic care. The roots are in hands-on and philosophical-based healing. It is incredibly powerful. There are some chiropractors that focus on going bone-deep and see many people quite quickly. If that energy does not resonate with you, perhaps they are not the practitioner for you. It is so important to find a practitioner that you resonate with. Please know that you don’t just have to go bone-deep and be part of an assembly line. You can go soul deep. When adjustments are applied in an intentional manner, they can open the heart. The adjustment can be the unification of the spiritual and the physical planes. The neurology can be seen as the vessel and the way through which we experience universal intelligence. The brain communicates with the body and facilitates the flow of the spark and energy that was founded in conception and now animates the directive of your entire life. This electrical current directs all the movements of life. Chiropractic care can help facilitate this flow and remove any hindrances. It is my honor to offer this care.

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Ultimately, it’s about freedom. Creating freedom in the body facilitates freedom in the neurology and clarity in the mind. Freedom of the body. Freedom of the mind. Freedom of your emotional state to flow. You live in your body with more grace, ease, and awareness.

What do you love about supporting women on their pregnancy journey?

There is no more exciting time for a woman than the birth transition. I always think of the image of the Mama’s belly with the little girl inside and her eggs inside of her. There are three generations present at this time. As a wellness practitioner, I have the honor of not only getting to support the heart and soul of the Mama but of a piece of the lineage. Seeing life animated in someone’s body never gets old. When I’m in the studio there is nothing else that matters, and I am filled up with the flow of life that is constantly coming in. I love working with the infinite innate intelligence that is around us and really playing in the field. It’s so beautiful and powerful in the pregnancy period because the innate intelligence is expressing in the belly as the life that is growing and moving around. I am continually amazed and blown away by my experiences adjusting to pregnant Mamas.

I also really enjoy the way this work can shift the family dynamic, especially if there are already children in the family. I remember one of the very first Mamas I had in my practice had not been able to go on walks or do anything with her little boy in a month because of the pubic bone pain she was experiencing from her pregnancy. After our session, she was pain-free and able to engage with him in all the ways she had been missing. Ultimately, this work changes lives, generations, and family dynamics in a way that promotes ease, grace, and health.

What is your personal experience with how chiropractic care has impacted the birth experiences of your clients?

Labor is such an expansive process. Everything you were experiencing before you were pregnant is going to be magnified. All your fears, all your beliefs, all your hip pain, all your headaches. Any hindrances will also be magnified. This is a beautiful opportunity for healing and support with some of these things.

You want your full neurologic capacity for birth. Having balance in the pelvis and free neurology without the hindrance of any blockages between the brain and the body shifts everything. The way that you experience contractions will be different. You will have more capacity to move through labor in a natural way in different laboring positions because the body will have more freedom. Studies have also shown that your labor time will be radically decreased (33%).

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If you are in a hospital setting with lots of bright lights and your brain determines that you do not feel safe, your spinal cord will come into closure to protect the vital organs and conserve energy. This sympathetic state can stall labor which then can lead to a cascade of interventions. An open pelvis, with a balancing of the tissues and the opening of the spinal cord, can help you be/shift into the parasympathetic state which is necessary for birth to progress naturally.

Can chiropractic care help women who are trying to conceive?

We are living in a time of constant stress. If the body is in a stressful state, it is not a conducive place to house and sustain life. Fight/flight states tell our bodies that it is not the time to be bringing new life to the world, it’s a time for survival. When we can remove that stress, whether it is neurological, physical, emotional, or whatever it may be from the system, your body has the capacity to shift into the normal functions that it needs to. One of these normal functions is reproduction. Chiropractic care helps shift people from a sympathetic or fight/flight state to a parasympathetic state which allows resting, digesting, and healing. This also helps open the pathway for conception.

What are the most common ailments you address with chiropractic care for Mamas-to-be/Mamas?

On a physical level: round ligament pain, SI joint pain, heartburn, headaches, nausea, and low back pain.

From a deeper level, I think many Mamas are coming for encouragement, support, and continuity of care. This work brings women back to their center and place where they access peace. In coming back into alignment there is also less attachment to and suffering around any pain or discomfort in the body that is being experienced. It’s a complete paradigm shift. True healthcare rather than sick care.

Why would it be helpful for an infant to receive chiropractic care? Is there a minimum age? Is it ever contraindicated?

I’ve adjusted 2 babies within 2 hours of being born at home births and having gentle adjustments within the first hours of birth can be incredibly beneficial. One of the biggest pieces of infant chiropractic is allowing freedom of the neurology. Because of the way our world is now there can be a lot of distortion and uncomfortable positions for a baby in the womb, especially if Mama is under a lot of stress during pregnancy. Clearing up the tension in the spinal cord allows babies the best chance for their neurological development. They grow 65% in the first year of life and their spine doubles in that time.

Lots of chiropractors that work with infants also offer cranial work, which is incredibly powerful. Cranial work allows babies the kickstart they may need for some of their development due to their birth experience. For example, when a baby is delivered via caesarean, the baby’s head doesn’t get the cranial squeeze through the vaginal canal that creates a resurgence of CSF fluid, triggering significant neurologic growth. Cranial work and chiropractic care can also be very helpful when there are breastfeeding challenges. This care can improve the range of motion and freedom of the neck and head to the brainstem, especially if there has been any tugging of the head, or vacuum or forceps used. The vagus nerve runs through the brainstem and affects the muscles of the jaw and how far the jaw can open to latch for breastfeeding purposes.

It is very important that you only ever take your child to a practitioner that you fully trust. You are the regulator for your baby and they feel everything that you feel. If you are at all nervous about what is happening for your baby then it may not be conducive to have the appointment. I would say that is the main contraindication I want to mention. Working with providers that you trust is essential.

Chiropractic care is changing the narrative for babies. It sets them up for success from the beginning and creates foundational principles for a healthy life. It preserves the inherent perfection and wisdom of the body and supports the nervous system in integrating any challenges or hindrances that may occur.

More information about her practice can be found @ https://www.livingadjusted.com/ . Check out the Living Adjusted Instagram page (@livingadjusted) to see the full interview.

Love,

Sara aka The Doula With Aloha